Methods for detecting and classifying signals transmitted over a radio frequency spectrum

A method comprising:

• measuring, by a spectrum detector, energy within a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins being within a channel identified by a channelization for a spectrum region of interest, wherein a size of the channel is selected to correspond to an expected size of a target signal;
• determining a degree of correlation between the measured energy and a target signal channel mask selected from among a plurality of signal masks;
• and
• responsive to determining that the degree of correlation between the measured energy and the target signal channel mask is not above a correlation threshold:
• classifying the measured energy as a wide band signal candidate;
• generating a max-hold power spectrum based on a plurality of max-hold overlays;
• applying a threshold to the max-hold power spectrum;
• and
• applying a channel mask to the max-hold power spectrum to identify the wide band signal candidate as one of:
• a target signal, a wide band non-cooperative signal, and noise.

A dynamic spectrum access device comprising:

• a detector configured to measure energy within a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins being within a channel identified by a channelization for a spectrum region of interest, wherein at least one channel identified by the channelization at least partially overlaps at least one other channel identified by the channelization;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine, on a channel by channel basis, whether the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is a narrowband signal by comparing an energy of the channel with each of a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold;
• compare a mask, selected from a plurality of masks, to the spectrum within each channel to determine a degree of correlation between the mask and the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel;
• if the degree of correlation between the mask and the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is above a correlation threshold, classify the received signal as a narrowband signal;
• and
• if the degree of correlation between the mask and energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is not above the correlation threshold:
• determine a degree of correlation between the measured energy and a target signal channel mask;
• classify the measured energy as a wideband signal candidate;
• generate a max-hold power spectrum based on a plurality of max-hold overlays;
• apply a threshold to the max-hold power spectrum;
• and
• apply a channel mask to the max-hold power spectrum to identify the wide band signal candidate as one of:
• a target signal, a wide band non-cooperative signal, and noise.

A method comprising:

• measuring, by a detector, energy within a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins being within a channel identified by a channelization for a spectrum region of interest, wherein at least one channel identified by the channelization at least partially overlaps at least one other channel identified by the channelization;
• determining, on a channel by channel basis whether the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is a narrowband signal by comparing an energy of the channel with each of a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold;
• comparing a mask, selected from a plurality of masks, to the spectrum within each channel to determine a degree of correlation between the mask and the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel;
• if the degree of correlation between the mask and the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is above a correlation threshold, classifying the received signal as a narrowband signal;
• and
• if the degree of correlation between the mask and the energy measured within the plurality of bins within the channel is not above the correlation threshold:
• determining a degree of correlation between the measured energy and a target signal channel mask;
• classifying the measured energy as a wideband signal candidate;
• generating a max-hold power spectrum based on a plurality of max-hold overlays;
• applying a threshold to the max-hold power spectrum;
• and
• applying a channel mask to the max-hold power spectrum to identify the wide band signal candidate as one of:
• a target signal, a wide band non-cooperative signal, and noise.